N15.6tri Lagos-Calabar Highway 'll Boost Nation's Economy, Ohanaeze Tells Obasanjo
The Igbo cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, said on Sunday that the N15.6 trillion Lagos-Calabar Coastal Super Highway will stimulate unprecedented economic activity and social progress, noting that the Nigerian populace is the primary beneficiary.
Ohanaeze, in a statement by the Deputy National President of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo faction, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, in which The Guardian was reacting to a statement credited to the former President of Nigeria, Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Super Highway is wasteful and symptomatic of misplaced priorities, described the former president’s claim as a distraction to the present government of President Bola Tinubu.
Isiguzoro dismissed Obasanjo’s claims as an expression of jealousy, strategically designed to undermine the re-election prospects of President Tinubu in the forthcoming 2027 elections, adding that Obasanjo’s claim has not only seemingly positioned him as the leader of a coalition of opposition but has also persistently cast doubt on the accomplishments of the project by the present administration.
Ohanaeze maintained that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Super Highway represents one of several pivotal projects by the present administration poised to redefine the nation’s infrastructural landscape, praising the determination and courage of the Tinubu government to embark on the project.
Isiguzoro noted that Ohanaeze Ndigbo wishes to remind all stakeholders that true patriotism involves the collective support of initiatives fostering national growth and stability, noting that the Super Highway is more than a road but a testament to the enduring spirit of the nation and a symbol of hope for the people.
The statement reads: “It is with a profound sense of duty and patriotism that the apex Igbo sociocultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, extends its accolades to the current Federal Administration for demonstrating exemplary discretionary leadership and resolute political will in the ambitious construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Super Highway.
“This monumental infrastructure project, valued at an impressive 15.6 trillion naira, promises to stimulate unprecedented economic activity and social progress, rendering the Nigerian populace its primary beneficiary.
“In stark contrast, we find the recent assertions made by former President Olusegun Obasanjo—characterising this transformative project as wasteful and symptomatic of misplaced priorities—to be not only misguided but imbued with a disheartening undercurrent of envy.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo unequivocally dismisses Obasanjo’s claims as an expression of jealousy, strategically designed to undermine the re-election prospects of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the forthcoming 2027 elections.
“This campaign is not merely a series of unsubstantiated criticisms but rather a concerted effort aimed at dismantling the progress that has been made under President Tinubu’s tenure, and the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Super Highway represents one of several pivotal projects poised to redefine the nation’s infrastructural landscape.
“Furthermore, we would like to commend Senator Dave Umahi, the astute Minister of Works, whose exceptional leadership and engineering prowess set a high bar for excellence in the delivery of quality road infrastructure across Nigeria.
“Any attempt by Mr. Obasanjo and his affiliated opposition figures to undermine the integrity or effectiveness of Minister Umahi’s work will be met with resolute resistance and condemnation.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo wishes to remind all stakeholders that true patriotism involves the collective support of initiatives fostering national growth and stability, and the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Super Highway is more than a road.
“It is a testament to the enduring spirit of our nation and a symbol of hope for the people. Therefore, we implore President Tinubu and Minister Umahi to see these criticisms not as a deterrent but rather as fuel for their commitment to continuously provide innovative legacy projects that address our infrastructural deficits.
“In conclusion, it is our collective responsibility as citizens of this great nation to recognise and support the ongoing efforts to confront and overcome the challenges we face, and Ohanaeze Ndigbo remains steadfast in its endorsement of the current government’s vision.”
SOURCE: GUARDIAN
